L P Svetkey

Dr L P Svetkey, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; svetk001@mc.duke.edu

STUDY DESIGN

Design:

randomised controlled trial.

Allocation:

concealed.*

Blinding:

blinded (outcome assessors).*

STUDY QUESTION

Setting:

4 clinical centres in the USA.

Patients:

1032 overweight or obese adults 28–83 years of age (mean age 56 y, 63% women, 38% African-American) who had lost ⩾4 kg in the previous 6 months during a group behavioural weight-loss programme. Inclusion criteria for the weight-loss phase were body mass index 25–45 (mean 34) kg/m², use of medication for hypertension and/or dyslipidaemia, and no active cardiovascular disease. Exclusion criteria included medication-treated diabetes, recent cardiovascular event, and recent weight loss >9 kg.

Intervention:

personal-contact (PC) intervention (case management approach with supportive telephone contact monthly and 1-h meeting with an interventionist quarterly) (n = 342); internet (I) intervention (unlimited access to a website providing an interactive …